'If they have the evidence, well that's another story. We're an honest family.'

The boy told investigators on April 27 that he encountered a random attacker in the family home while his father was attending a Little League game. He described the man as tall with long gray hair.

The boy said the man fled on foot and he found his sister, Leila Fowler, bleeding.

Leila's death set off an intense manhunt in the rural community where some residents had moved to escape big city crime.

The Calaveras County Sheriff's Office spent more than 2,000 man-hours amassing evidence and searching door-to-door.

Residents of the rural community began locking their doors and calling authorities when they thought they saw men who fit the description.

They also held fundraisers for the Fowler family and turned out by the thousands for a candlelight vigil in Leila's honor.

'We're thankful to the community and all they've done for my daughter,' Barney Fowler said.

He echoed comments made earlier on Monday by his son, Justin Fowler, 19, who said the family was in shock and extremely sad about the boy's arrest.

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Vigil: Barney Fowler, with his family (including Leila's siblings who are not identified) says he will back his son

Justin says the
family is 'in a fog' over the boy's arrest that has rocked the
community of Valley Springs.

The
arrested boy had appeared at a vigil for his sister on April 30, along with
brother Justin, who was photographed with the name 'Leila' written on
his forearm.

It emerged on Monday that the 12-year-old boy was suspended from school in April for having a penknife, according to CNN.

The day before his arrested, the boy's mother
had described him as ‘protective’ of his younger sister.

On Friday, as speculation in the community built that perhaps the boy was involved, Priscilla Rodriquez told Sacramento television station KOVR her son ‘could never hurt his sister'.

'I've never seen him be mean to her,' the mother said.

Less
than a day later, police delivered the stunning news: The 12-year-old
boy had been arrested and will be charged with homicide.

For a community still reeling from the killing, the news was another blow.

'It's bad enough to lose a child. I can't imagine losing a child by one of my own children,' Patti Campbell, a longtime area resident told The Associated Press.

Ms Campbell, a resident of the area for 33 years, said she had served Leila and her family in her restaurant.

‘It's just shocking. I don't know what else to say,’ Campbell said.

Other residents in the community of about 7,400 people expressed similar feelings of disbelief.

‘I
did not want to believe it. You kind of thought so, but it's not
something you want to believe,’ resident Tammy Ainsworth told
Sacramento's KCRA-TV.

Defending her son: A day before a 12-year-old boy was arrested for the stabbing to death of his 8-year-old sister, Leila Fowler, his mother Priscilla Rodriquez described him as 'protective' of his younger sibling

Aaron Plunk, a neighbor of the family, said the arrest was staggering but he could rest easier now.

He said he and his family had been extra vigilant about locking windows and doors, even though the street was being closely guarded by deputies.

‘I think we were the safest house in the county,’ Plunk told the Modesto Bee.

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Calaveras Unified School District made counselors available on Monday at all schools.

Police released no information about
what led them to arrest the unidentified 12-year-old for the April 27
attack.

Following the crime, investigators did a door-to-door sweep of
homes, storage sheds and horse stables scattered across the oak-studded
hills foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Divers also searched two nearby
reservoirs in search of clues.

Horrifying: Leila Fowler's 12-year-old brother was at their home with her in Valley Springs when he claimed he had encountered an intruder

Leila's brother told police he found
his sister's body and encountered an intruder in the home while their
parents were at a Little League game. He described the man as tall with
long gray hair.

A neighbor told detectives she saw a man flee the home
but she later recanted the story.

Police said there was no sign of a
burglary or robbery. As part of the investigation, authorities seized
several knives from the Fowler home, where Leila lived with her father,
stepmother and siblings.

Calaveras County Sheriff Gary Kuntz
said authorities spent more than 2,000 hours on the investigation before
they arrested the boy at 5:10 p.m. Saturday

The boy, who has not been identified,
will be charged with homicide, Calaveras County Sheriff Gary Kuntz told
reporters on Saturday.

The
April 27 attack on Leila Fowler shook the tightknit Valley Springs
community of about 7,400 people and set off a massive manhunt.

The
boy had told police he found his sister's body and encountered an
intruder in the home while their parents were at a Little League game.

He described the man as being tall with long gray hair.

Police have said there was no sign of a burglary or robbery at the house.

Investigators
did a door-to-door sweep of homes, storage sheds and horse stables
scattered across the oak-studded hills foothills of the Sierra Nevada
mountains.

As
part of the investigation, authorities seized several knives from the
home Leila shared with her father, stepmother and siblings to determine
if one could have inflicted the fatal wounds.

A neighbor who told detectives she saw a man flee the Fowler home later recanted the story and was discredited by police.

Leila's brother was taken into custody at 5:10 p.m. Saturday and police hastily called a news conference to announce the arrest.

‘Citizens of Calaveras County, you can sleep a little better tonight,’ Kuntz said.

Authorities spent over 2,000 hours on
the investigation ‘to provide Leila Fowler's family answers to her
death,’ the sheriff said.

Kuntz said the investigation was ongoing. He declined to provide further details.

Several days after the killing,
hundreds of people gathered at Jenny Lind Elementary School where Leila
was a popular 3rd grader. Her mother, Krystal Walters, tearfully thanked
the crowd for the support.

VIDEO Gasps as police announce arrest of 12 year old for murder

The April 27 attack on Leila Fowler shook the tightknit Valley Springs community of about 7,400 people and set off a massive manhunt

‘I just want to thank the entire
community and all of our family and friends for all the overwhelming
amount of support you've given our family,’ Walters said at the time.
‘It will never be forgotten. Thank you.’

Calaveras County Deputy Coroner Steve
Moore said the girl died from multiple stab wounds. They have not
revealed how many times she was stabbed or where.

Violent crime is so rare in the
community of 7,400 people that even law enforcement officers have to
stop and think when asked about the last time there was a stranger
killing in the area.

'Probably five years ago was the last one I can remember,' said Officer
Rebecca Myers of the California Highway Patrol, who was assigned to
block access to the neighborhood of one-acre ranchettes.